


Dire Circumstances

by fingerscrossed_tryingsomethingnew



Series: I'm Gonna Love You (Like I'm Gonna Lose You) [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avenger Reader (Marvel), F/M, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Reader-Insert, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, reader is being recruited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:06:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24276328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fingerscrossed_tryingsomethingnew/pseuds/fingerscrossed_tryingsomethingnew
Summary: Dire circumstances call for drastic measures.Or, Steve admits that there's more going on in the world than the Avengers can handle at the moment which leads to him and Tony meeting the new recruit (in usual Avenger fashion).
Relationships: Peter Parker & Reader, Steve Rogers & Reader, Steve Rogers & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Reader
Series: I'm Gonna Love You (Like I'm Gonna Lose You) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752376
Kudos: 28





	1. Scramble the Chopper (We're Having Dinner in Connecticur)

Dire circumstances call for drastic measures. 

Despite it being his idea, Steve wavered in his certainty of their plan. Calling in reinforcements and accepting help was one thing but diverting time and resources to recruiting when so many were in danger…They were the Avengers, after all; this was their entire reason for being. 

Steve chanced a glance at the holo-screens that held Clint’s focus. Four different muted screens ran simultaneously, displaying various news feeds. A bombing in a remote city in Bhutan– hundreds injured and counting. Chinese President, Xi Jinping, consoles city in the wake of cybersecurity threats. Unrest in the Middle East at an all-time high– terrorist group Rassvet attacks Israeli city with state-of-the-art weaponry. Public officials propose new security measures after second wave of hospital raids in Afghanistan leaves more than 30 individuals dead or missing. 

Steve sighed, his jaw clenching and his fist tightening. He knew Nat was in Israel, leading a SHIELD squadron in intelligence, clean up, and situation de-escalation. Clint and Bruce had just returned from Afghanistan hours ago; though their debrief had been heartbreaking, the situation showed a marked improvement after their involvement. With Steve by his side (in a support capacity more than anything), Tony had spent the better part of the past two days, discussing security with the Chinese President.

And the bombing. Steve’s heart stuttered as he imagined the casualties. The devastation. He pictured dust clouding desolate streets, clotting the lungs of struggling survivors, and settling on rusted beams of collapsed structures. How had there been no warning? Fury had broken the news to the team a mere hour before networks began broadcasting. 

He sat back in his chair, the gravity of the situation triggering a quick, panicked search through his pockets for an inhaler he hadn’t needed in 70 years. 

A firm hand on his shoulder interrupted Steve’s spiraling toward a full-blown panic attack. 

“I found someone,” Tony murmured, his voice rough and gravelly from disuse. 

Steve nodded, shifting back into his role of Captain. There was no time for Steve Rogers’ petty emotions when the stakes were this high. “Good, we need all the help we can get,” he admitted. 

“I’ll scramble the chopper. It’s you, me, and itsy bitsy Petey Parker.” 

Tony’s attempt at dispelling some of the tension in the room fell flat. But for the first time since this whole mess had started, the air in the compound wasn’t quite so stale. 

* * *

Tony slipped on a pair of tinted sunglasses as the chopper touched down in a landing field in Greenwich, Connecticut. He listened as the blades slowed to a stop and he was able to hear the tell-tale sounds of a car’s approach; for the millionth time in his life, Tony thanked God for Happy Hogan. 

He looked back at Steve who had barely said a word in the hour it had taken them to get the airfield. Tony couldn’t handle another minute of the silence from Mr. Good and Righteous. “Rogers,” Tony bit out, met with no reaction. He tried again as they slid into the car. “Steve.” 

Steve met his gaze, face crumpled with emotion. “Tony, I need…”

As the car navigated toward their destination, Tony rolled his shoulders back and prepared for a fight. He knew Steve Rogers, and he knew that he wasn’t going to like what Tony had to say. “I know you want to be out there,” he acknowledged, holding Steve’s eyes. It was important that he understood. “But you’re the Captain. You can’t be at every front line, at every battle, with every troop. We need you- I need you to help me win the war, because that’s what this is, Cap. Someone or something is starting the war to end all wars, and we’re not equipped to handle it alone.” 

To his credit, Steve didn’t interrupt. He didn’t turn away. He didn’t flinch or frown. He didn’t do much of anything. 

Still, Tony knew he was listening. “This girl– she’s a tactical move. I don’t know how they’ve been hiding her, but we’re gonna get her, Cap. She could tip the scales in our favor.” 

Steve relaxed slightly against the seat. His intensity never faltered as he turned his gaze forward. “I know.” 

* * *

Steve and Tony stood in front of grand, oak double doors that dwarfed even Steve. Tony fiddled with his phone for a few seconds before the doors opened to them, a young girl standing in the doorway. She hardly looked old enough to vote let alone go to war. 

“Tony. No. Not again.” Steve refused, turning on his heel. He could care less if this girl was heaven-sent to help them stop the onslaught of terror. 

In the commotion of the situation and the suffocating guilt that came from standing behind a desk and giving orders, Steve had forgotten that Spiderman was supposed to join them. Maybe it was better that he hadn’t come, because Steve was certain that– now, as a 22-year-old man– Peter’s opinion on being “old enough” to fight at 15 had changed significantly. 

“It’s not her,” Tony said, calmly. His voice was soft and certain, but firm enough that Steve turned back to the door, to the girl who hadn’t yet said a word. 

“Captain America. Iron Man.” She whispered the words in awe, blinking rapidly, as if they might be an illusion. “Peter said you were coming, but I–” She stopped herself short. “Um, it’s really great to meet you. And, you know, thank you guys for– like– saving the world a billion and one times. I know you’re probably here for a reason, but I’m really freaking out right now and I can’t remember what Peter said to me and I think I’m sweating. Oh, and I’m Lina by the way. Ignore that part about the sweating. Can you say TMI?” She scrunched her nose adorably. 

Lina reminded Steve of a younger Peter– a ball of nervous energy and non-stop chatter. Steve softened at the girl’s babbling. “It’s very nice to meet you as well, Lina. I wish it were under better circumstances.” 

It seemed Tony had fallen victim to her wide brown eyes and oversharing as well, not that Steve was surprised. Peter had managed to bring out Tony’s paternal instincts years ago. “Listen, kiddo, why don’t you tell us where Peter and your sister are and go grab something for us to sign for you. We can even take a couple pictures after we talk to them.”

They heard something between a shriek and a squeal before she was throwing a set of keys at them. “Take the cart. They’re in the backyard in the boathouse or on the dock, I think! I’m gonna go find the best thing ever for you guys to sign!” She was a blur as she shut the door in their faces to run off.

Steve couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled out of him, and Tony was quick to shake his head as he huffed out a laugh. They piled into the golf cart before driving toward the narrow strip of gravel that ran along the perimeter of the property in the direction of the backyard. 

“Damn, this place is nice,” Tony commented as the waterfront came into view. “Think I should look into buying a place out here?” 

* * *

  
  
The docks were barren. Jet skis and a smaller cruiser were tied to the posts along the left side and a beautiful sailboat was docked on the right, but no one was in sight.

Steve wondered how people lived like this when half the world was in shambles. Tony pointed out the boathouse a few yards away, and the two men made their way over to the small structure. Steve could hear the conversation taking place inside as they approached. 

“…and that’s why I know you can say no. You can think about it. Sunshine, you have a choice, even though it seems like the world isn’t giving you an option.” 

That was Peter, for sure. Steve grasped Tony’s arm, halting his movement to open the door to the boathouse. This was an important conversation– one he wished someone had with Peter before he had taken on Spiderman so young. 

“Peter, this is about me as much as it’s about the world. When most people were in middle school, I was being weaponized. When people went to debate team in high school, I was being used as a tool for mass destruction. I spent years being mentally reprogrammed and most of college being selfish. So, yeah, everything going on in the world breaks my heart, tears it to pieces, and I’ve been helping however I can, but now I have this chance. To do more. To be more than a gun that goes off when _Almunaqadh_ points and says ‘shoot.’” She pauses, but there’s no hesitation in her words, no hitch in her breath. It seems as though she’s allowing Peter to take in what she said. “I’m more than that, and it’s about time the world knows it.” 

There’s a quiet determination in her words. She doesn’t yell or scream, but her words carry a certain gravitas. Steve drops Tony’s arm and nods toward the door. He’s certain that Tony heard her as well, but neither of them make any move to comment on it. 

The scene that greets them inside is far from what Steve expected. Aside from a small kitchenette and a worn but comfortable-looking couch, the boathouse is relatively empty. In the center of the room, a young woman is leaning against a structure that looks like the beginnings of a boat. She looks more delicate than he imagined someone with her powers to look; the fire in her is unmistakable, but there’s a softness in her eyes, in the out of her lips, in the curve of her smile. It takes Steve’s breath away for the moment. 

She cards a hand through Peter’s hair, his head resting casually in her lap. So, she knew Peter, then, Steve assumed. 

Tony cleared his throat. “I hate to break up the party, but– who am I kidding, I am the party.” 

Steve expected that Peter knew they were there, but the girl didn’t startle either. She looked up from Peter to them.

“The man, the myth, the legend,” she teased. She eased Peter into a sitting position before getting up to greet the two men. 

“In the flesh,” Tony added, extending a hand to the woman. “Tony Stark, nice to meet you.”

“I was actually talking about America’s favorite frozen treat over there, but, yeah, nice to meet you.” She couldn’t hold back a laugh at Tony’s mock frown, but her expression sobered quickly. “Kidding. I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you. I’m a big admirer of all your work, Mr. Stark. I don’t know how to thank you for all you’ve done for the world.” Her attention was on Steve now. “Thank you for your service Captain Rogers. Monty Falsworth’s family has had only the best to say about you, sir.” 

“Kiss-ass,” Peter muttered under his breath. It earned him an elbow to the ribs from Y/N, but Steve paid him no attention. 

“Falsworth as in…” Steve’s attention was solely on Y/N. (Nobody had called him “Captain Rogers” in… ever. It made Steve feel like the man under the cowl and the Captain America who the world saw were one and the same.) 

“Major Falsworth of the Howling Commandos,” she nodded in confirmation. “I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but Monty is his great-grandson. I’ve spent some time with their family; we’re neighbors in the Hamptons.” 

Steve nodded, unsure what to say. 

“So, you don’t really need to give me the big pitch, just so you guys know,” she claimed, looking up at them with warm eyes that seemed too innocent for the admissions she had made to Peter just moments ago (But Steve had learned from Natasha long ago that appearances could be deceiving).

“I’m in. I want to help– however you guys might need it.” She sensed that they were faltering in the face of her dauntlessness, so she continued as she led them past a kidney bean-shaped pool and back into the main house through a back door. “But, if you guys want, I can pretend to say no and you can give me the pitch over dinner.” 


	2. Y37.23 (Welcome to the Team, Kid)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner was going well. Then, things blew up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Code Y37.23: Military operations involving explosion of an improvised explosive device [IED]

It was so easy, almost too easy. Of course, the evening couldn’t go off without a hitch. That would be too much to ask, given the mountain of pressure and shit being thrown at them already. 

Tony decided that it was when Lina had dashed into the kitchen to bring out dessert that the evening went to absolute shit. 

Steve ventured a question as the conversation lulled. “So, this whole house just for you and your sister?” It was genuine curiosity that pried the question from his lips. 

Tony saw Peter visibly flinch backward at the question, his left hand smoothing down her back. Y/N’s outward demeanor hadn’t changed in any obvious ways, but Tony knew how to spot the signs of the “I hate talking about my shitty family” face. He had worn it enough. 

What was concerning was that the entire atmosphere shifted suddenly. Tony no longer felt a calm aura around them, one that was cautious but amiable. Instead, there was an intensity that gripped the dining table and surrounded the four occupants. 

Tony nearly jumped out of his seat when Y/N actually made to answer Steve’s question. 

“Our parents live here with her most of the year. I thought it would be nice to bring some friends out to relax for a week or two after graduation. So, the second they heard I was coming, they fucked off to an island off the southeast Asian coast and left their pride and joy,” she nodded her head toward the house, toward Lina, “without a word. So yeah, just the two of us.” 

Neither of the two men said anything. 

She kept talking. The wave of tension that rolled like a storm cloud over the table only thickened. Her eyes were focused intently on the two of them. “She’s my whole world. I would do anything to make sure that she’s safe and happy. I’ve–” Y/N glanced at Peter. In a look, he must have offered her some sort of solace, because she continued. Her voice was softer now, but no less fierce than a moment ago. “I’ve paid the price time and again to ensure that. And now, to make the world safe for her, I’d do it again. No question.” 

Tony’s heart broke for her because if there was anyone in the world who could empathize with her, it was him. He knew what it was like to pay the price again and again, and she was too young with too much potential to shoulder that burden. Steve pulled Tony away from the table. They walked back toward the docks as they talked. 

“Tony, she’s young. She’s untested,” Steve protested. 

Tony shrugged. “Weren’t we all at some point?” 

“You heard what she said to Peter in the boathouse. Her motives are questionable. She’s not giving us the whole truth. How are we supposed to trust her? How am I supposed to lead someone I can’t trust?”

Tony shook his head, sighing. “Doesn’t matter. We’re out of time, and we’re shit out of luck, Cap. Have some faith.” 

* * *

Faith. It had been a long time since Steve had blind faith. The world had given him millions of reasons to never leap without looking again. Still, he followed Tony back up to the dining table. 

Lina had returned from the kitchen and placed two large trays on the table. She sliced up the Irish soda bread in the one closer to Steve while Y/N doled out sfogliatelle on to delicate dessert plates from the other. 

God, she had catered the dessert to each of them. The soda bread smelled so much like his mother’s recipe that homesickness coiled in his gut, heavy like a rock. Steve wanted to shed a tear. He had just enough time to take a bite from his serving and feel guilt for his accusations ping around his full stomach before Peter jumped up from the table. 

Y/N wasn’t far behind. She grabbed her sister’s arm and pressed something into her hand. She bent to whisper into Lina’s ear, holding the younger girl close. Steve’s hearing allowed him to pick up on her hushed instructions. “You know what to do. Stay calm, okay, baby? We’ll cover you. Take the Klinejet and go to Harley. He’ll keep you safe until I can come get you.” She pulled back and pushed her sister in the direction of the boathouse. “I love you. I’ll see you soon.” 

Men were storming into the house. Steve could hear the glass shattering, doors breaking. Peter was pulling his mask on as he followed a suited-up Iron Man into the house. Steve lingered, eyes vigilant. 

“Promise?” Lina asked, tears in her eyes. 

“I meant what I said, and I said what I meant…” 

“An elephant’s faithful one hundred percent,” Lina concluded before taking off toward the boathouse. 

Y/N looked up at Steve, knowing he must have heard. He gave her a short nod; Lina would make it out. 

They didn’t have comms, so he signaled silently for her to wait here while he skirted the perimeter to look for hostiles. 

Y/N stood calmly in the center of all the chaos. If Steve had looked back, he would have noticed that she was closing her eyes. If he hadn’t already cleared the corner, he would have seen that she was glowing, radiating power. 

A small jet zoomed over the water as it gained speed, launching itself into the air. It winked out of sight quickly, and Steve assumed that it must have the same retro-reflective panels as Quinjets. Something in his chest loosened at the fact that the kid had gotten out of there safely. 

Steve cleared the perimeter, knocking out men who were outfitted in beige from head to toe– like no uniform he had ever seen. 

He heard Peter yelling for Tony to get out of the house. 

Y/N was screaming. “…Captain! Boat! Everyone! Boat!” 

Peter webbed a few men against the nearest wall, nearly crashing into Steve as he ran toward the boat. Tony zoomed out of the house above both of their heads. Y/N was out of sight, but Peter shook his head at Steve and pushed him forward. 

“She’s coming,” Peter promised him, pushing him to the boat. 

Barely a second later, Y/N was sprinting just yards behind them. “Dive! Dive! Dive! Tony, up! Y37.23!” 

Steve (recognizing the military code for explosives) and Peter dove into the water from the docks as Tony used his repulsors to shoot upward as quickly as possible. Steve didn’t hear another splash, but Y/N appeared next to them, grasping Peter’s arm, forcing them to stay low. 

Vibrations rocked the still water, creating rolling waves. The feeble light that filtered through the murky water was blacked out by shrapnel and debris that jarred the water, half remaining on the surface and half sinking to the sand beneath. They waited as long as they could under the waves, but Y/N began shaking her head and kicking upwards; Peter and Steve followed. 

They broke the surface one at a time, searching carefully for shrapnel or hostiles. 

“Do you feel anything?” Peter asked, looking at Y/N. 

Steve glanced back at the decimated house. There was no way there were any survivors. 

Y/N shook her head, confirming what Steve already knew. “There was one… but, he– he slit his own throat. That’s how they operate.”

Tony flew in low over the three of them. His faceplate opened up. “We need to get to the compound. I think we have a lot to talk about. Welcome to the team, kid.” 


End file.
